Miniature railway car



Feb. 3, 1925.

M. L. ELY

MINIATURE RAILWAY CAR Filed Dec. 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet M. L. ELY

MINIATURE RAILWAY CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed' Dec. 26, 1925 MW n HAW M w W Patented Feb. 3, i925.

MAHLON L. ELY, HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

MINIATURE RAILWAY can.

Application filed December 26, 1923. Serial No. 682,781.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MAHLON L. ELY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Miniature Railway Cars; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in miniature railway cars adapted for use either on small gravity railways or to be pulled by a small electric, steam or gasoline locomotive or motor.

One object of the invention is to provide an exceptionally simple and inexpensive miniature car which may be advantageously used on miniature gravity railways, constructed at home, the construction being such that the car may be sold at small cost, well quickly and easily assembled by the ur within the means of the average family.

Another object is to provide a miniature car of such simple construction that it may be shipped in a knock-down condition and chaser, without the assistance of any skilled labor, the knock-clown feature of the invention being of advantage not only when it is shipped from the factor but whenever it is to be later moved fromone place to another, for instance, from one fair or carnival to another place of amusement.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the'description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View.

Figure 4 is an end elevation.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numerals 1 designate a pair of parallel side sills which are supported upon appropriate axles 2 and flanged wheels 3, adapted to travel upon a railway. A pair of end sills 4 are secured by bolts, screws or the like to the ends of the side sills l, and opposite ends 5 of said end sills, project laterally beyond said side sills. A pair of longitudinal running boards 6 contact with the lower edges of the sills 1 and the projecting ends 5 of the sills 4L and may be secured to said $1115 1, by screws or other desired fasteners 7 (Fig. 5). 3

A suitable floor 8 is secured to the sills 1 and 4 and a pair of vertical fenders 9 rise from opposite ends of said floor. These fenders contact with the outer sides of the s lls 4, bumpers 10 contact with the outer sides of said fenders, and fasteners 11, such as ordinary bolts pass through said bump ers, said fenders and said sills 4; thereb rigidly securing them together. i

Arched braces 12v are provided for the fenders 9, the lower ends of these braces being passed through the projecting ends 5 of p along the upper edge portions of thefenders 9, and contact with the inner sides of the latter, and cleats 15 are secured by bolts or the like to said inner sides of thefenders and engage the crown portions 14L to clamp the latter against the fenders. If desired, the cleats 15 may be grooved as indicated at 16 to receive the crown portions 14c and I prefer to secure hand rails 17"to the upper edges of said cleats and the correspondingvedges of the fenders 9. By employing the fender braces 12, secured in place in the manner shown or an equivalent manner, not only are the fenders 9 effectively braced, but the ends 5 of the sills 1 are effectively tied to the running boards 6 and the vertical portions of the braces constitute convenient handles by means of which the car may be moved along its track by hand. 7

Pairs of vertical seat-supporting boards 18 rise from the floor 1 and have their lower ends secured by bolts or the like19, against the outer sides of the sills 1. Near their up per portions, the boards 18 are secured to seat boards 20 in any desired manner and attention is directed to the fact that the upper ends of said boards 18, constitute end members for the seats.

If desired, a suitable brake shoe 21 may be mounted on one of the sills 1 to contact with one of the wheels 3 and I have shown this shoe connected by a rod 22 and chain 23, with the lower end of a brake shaft 24-. mounted at the inner side of one of the fenders 9 andprovided with a suitable operating crank 25. j

By employing the construction shown and described or a substantial equivalent thereof, the car may be manufactured easily and inexpensively, may be shipped in a knocked down condition, and can be quickly and easily assembled by the purchaser, without the aid of any skilled workman. Nhen set up for use, the car is exceptionally strong and'jdurab'le'and will carry as many children as can climb upon it. By the use of one or more or the cars, even on a home constructedgravity railway, a great deal of Wholesome and healthy amusement may be had not only in actuallyusing the car for riding or coasting, but in the erection of signals and other miniature railway equipmerit, along the trackage.

In. the actual manufacture and marketing ofthe device','it has met with great success, using the details herein disclosed. These details are therefore preferably followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed,.numerous minor changes may be made. For instance,the car may be made with or without runningboards, with or without brakes, with or without seats, with or without tops; with various types of sides'and ends, and either with four oreight Wheels.

I'claim:

1. A miniature railway car comprising a pair of parallel wheel-supported side sills, a pair of transverse end sills secured to the ends of said side sills and projecting laterally theret'rom, a pair of longitudinal running boards secured against the lower edges of said sidesills and having their ends secured against the lower edges of said projectingends'of the end sills, a floor secured on said sills, and tenders rising troiz'i the ends of said floor.

2'. A miniature railway car comprising palr of parallel wheel-supported side sills,

a pair of transverse end sills secured to ends of said side sills and projecting laterallytherefrom, a pair of longitudinal r ning boards secured against the lower edges of said side sills and having their ends ing their ends passed through said projecting sill ends and said running board ends and having their crown portions secured to the fenders, and means securing said brace ends with respect to the parts through which they pass.

3. In a miniature railway car having a fender and an arched fender brace whose crown portion contacts with the inner side of said fender and extends along the upper edge portion thereof; a hand rail secured along the upper edge of said tender, and a clea tsecured to said fender under said hand rail and engaging the inner side of said crown portion to clamp it against the fender.

i. In a miniature railway car having an end sill, a fender contacting with the outer side of said sill, an elongated bumper contacting with the outer side of'said tender, and fasteners passing through said bumper, said fender and said sill to rigidly seci'ire them together.

5. In a miniature railway car having parallel side sills, seat-supportingboards rising from said sills and secured against the outer sides thereof, and a seat extending between said boards in a plane below the upper ends of the latter, whereby the upper end portions of said boards form end members for the seat.

6. A miniature railway carcomprising a pair of parallel wheel-supported side sills. a pair of end sills secured to the ends oi. said side sills and projecting laterally beyond the latter, a pair of longitudinal running boards whose inner edge portions contact with the lower edges of said side sills and whose ends contact with the lower edges of said projecting ends of said end sills, fenders secured against the outer sides of said end sills, arched fender braces connected with said fenders and having their ends secured to said projecting ends of said end sills, upright seat-supporting boards rising from said side sills and secured againstthe outer sides thereof, a seat carried by said seat-supporting boards in downwardly spaced relation with their upper extremities, and a floor secured upon said sills.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

I MAHLON L. ELY. 

